Solitary
by But I Have Promises To Keep
Summary: Would you be able to survive in a world without light, color or sound; somewhere where the only way to survive is to remember your name?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, welcome to my newest Fanfiction! I apologize if it's a little slow at the beginning; but it will pick up in later chapters. There will be a little Maltara in this, I promise! Captain Yeong will be in this story; simply because I planned it before she stopped being captain. Just as a head up I may not be updating as often for a while. The reason is simply that…it's hot. Unlike most people in my area I don't have air conditioning; and it's been too hit to even think for the past few days. I'll try to write at night while it's a little cooler, but no promises. **

* * *

**Natara Williams**

I carefully step over a clump of crimson-stained leaves, making sure not to disturb any evidence. So far this is the only evidence we have to go by; just this pile of leaves and a few rustled bushes that show signs of a struggle. We haven't even found a body yet.

"Find anything?" I call out, making my way out of the trees to where Golden Gate park begins. I duck under the crime-scene tape, my eyes drawn immediatly the the bison paddock where we found one of The Hunter's victims. I feel a slight shiver down my spine as I think of it, but I push this feeling away. "Mal?" I call, not seeing him anywhere. After a moment I see him a little ways away, talking on his phone. I wait for him to finish until I head over, and as soon as I get close I can see the grim look on his face.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

"We gotta go, looks like we have…visitors".

"What do you mean?" ask as we head back to the car, leaving behind the few officers who still mill around the area. I climb in the passenger side and Mal follows suit.

"Not sure, all I know is Captain Yeong wants us back there right now. And that can't be good".

* * *

Within fifteen minutes we make it back to the precinct; and upon entering the first thing I see is a man and a woman standing awkwardly by Mal's desk. The woman is fairly short and thin, with long dark red hair and piercing green eyes that are so bright I can see them from across the room. The man is just the opposite, around my height with dark hair and a muscular frame. As we approach the man shies away; but the woman comes right up to us, reaching out to shake my hand.

"Detective Melanie Falcon" she says cheerfully, shaking Mal's hand after releasing mine "but you can call me 'Mel'".

My eyes flicker over to Mal, wondering if he sees the similarity in names too. If he does, he ignores it.

The man then walks over and does the same as the woman, shaking both of out hands and says "Special Agent Nathan Warren".

I don't say anything for a moment. Nathan Warren? Melanie Falcon? Surely this is a prank or something! I'm about to state the absurdity of the situation, but a moment later Melanie sets a file she was holding on Mal's desk.

"Look, no offense…but why are you here?" Mal asks.

"You are Special Agent Williams and Detective Fallon, right?" she says. Both Mal and I nod. "We're here from the Brisbane Police Department, just south of here. According to your Captain you were at a crime scene this morning?". I nod and she continues to speak. "A little over a week ago an detective from our precinct went missing. We found signs of a struggle, a little of his blood; but other than that nothing" she flips open the file, and Mal and I look through it to find pictures of a crime scene almost exactly like the one we were at this morning. "Two days ago we found his body. Interestingly enough it was found on an unmarked grave in the cemetery not far from here". I look at her, expecting her to pull out pictures of the victim, but she doesn't. "Frank, the man who was killed, wouldn't want to be called a victim" she says very softly. "His family wanted to respect his wishes, and so did I, so I do not have any pictures with me. Only if it's truly necessary I'll get the photo's needed".

"I understand" I say "Were you friends with—" I look down at the file, searching for a last name "—Detective Coleridge?".

She nods and responds quietly "Since I was little. And trust me, Frank wouldn't be an easy man to kill. He's an ex-Navy Seal, whoever got him has to be pretty physically intimidating. But that's not all. This morning another one of our officers went missing. He was supposed to be visiting family here, in the Golden Gate park area, but his sister called me when he never showed up. We believe the crime scene you were at this morning was where he was taken".

"Was he another friend of yours?".

As I say this, she suddenly becomes nervous. She begins patting the fabric on her arm, as if trying to get rid of a bug on her shirt. Her movements become forced and jittery, and she starts to bite her lip.

"N-Not nearly as close as Frank and I" she stutters. Seeing this, Nathan grabs the side of her arm as if afraid she might fall. "I-I'm going to go out and get some air" she says a little too loudly, and without another word Nathan leads her outside.

"Did you see that?" I ask as soon as Nathan and Melanie are out of earshot.

"What? How she started freaking out?" I nod "Yeah, it doesn't take a profiler to see that".

"I think she's up to something" I say quietly, looking over my shoulder. Although I can't make out the words, I can see the pair whispering to each other. "She has to be hiding something".

"Maybe she's just upset about losing her two friends" Mal suggests.

I keep watching Melanie and Nathan as they leave; both of them huddled together and still speaking in quiet whispers. Nathan's bulk almost conceals Melanie's tiny frame; and considering the fact that he's obviously with the FBI too he could be more than a match for me. If anyone could take down an ex-Navy Seal, it would be him. I know I certainly never want to be on the receiving end of a blow from him. "I hope you're right".

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back! Just letting everyone know, I just signed up for beta-reader. If anyone ever wants anything proofread or peer edited, let me know in a comment or private message me so I can send you a request. Thanks to _MusicalMajesty, mozzi-girl _and _BreezyFan _for reviewing!**

* * *

**Natara Williams**

It takes at least fifteen minutes for Melanie and Nathan to return. The first thing I notice as they enter is how pale Melanie seem; and for the first time I can see bags under her eyes, indicating that she hasn't been sleeping well. There's a faint scratch on her cheek that I'm sure wasn't there before. Could Nathan have punished her for becoming flustered? Is he manipulating her? I push this thought away almost as soon as it comes, seeing as I have nothing to back up this theory. What motivation would either of them have to kill their friends? That is, assuming they weren't lying about their relationship with the victims.

Melanie clears her throat loudly as she makes her way back, opening up the file again as if nothing's happened. "Now then…where were we?" she says, her voice devoid of the stutter it had just moments before.

"I was just asking you how you know both the victims" I say, even though this is only partially true. Nathan shoots me a sharp look, clearly knowing this isn't exactly what I asked earlier, but doesn't say anything.

"Oh yeah, that's right" Melanie says, clearing her throat again. "Like I said, Frank Coleridge and I grew up together. As for the other victim, Dane Sunderland, Nate and I only met last year. He was a transfer".

"Have you noticed anyone unusual hanging around the area recently?" I ask.

"I think we would have noticed that" Nathan responds, his tone harsh "We aren't stupid after all".

Melanie turns and fixes him with a deep glare and he goes quiet. "Do you think our precinct is being targeted?" she asks.

"We can't be sure, but if I were you I'd be cautious for now on" I answer. I glance behind me to Mal, wondering why he's been quiet for the past few minutes, and see that he and Nathan are staring each other down; hate in their gazes. I can't tell if it's because of what I said, or because something about Nathan just rubbed him the wrong way; but either way it might be for the best. There's something they're not telling us, and I think it would be best if he didn't act all buddy-buddy with Nathan.

"If you don't mind" Melanie says, oblivious to the tension in the air "We'd like to see the crime scene you were at this morning with our own eyes; maybe go deeper in the woods?".

"No problem. It's not far from here; we can go right now if you'd like" I say.

"Before we go…I'd like a private word" Nathan says, nodding to Melanie. His voice startles me a little, since he was in complete silence for several minutes.

"Of course" I say, and once again Nathan and Melanie head back outside. As soon as they clear the doorway to outside I weave my way through the bullpen, Mal's voice calling after me.

"What are you doing?" he hisses.

I don't answer, but turn around and motion to him not to follow. I need to know what's going on with these two; there's something just not right about Melanie.

I'm careful to open and close the door quietly, and silently make my way to the parking lot. As I reach the corner of the building I can hear urgent whispering; and I pull myself against the wall to listen. With the sounds of traffic I can only make out part of their conversation; but I don't dare get closer. It's very likely they're right around the corner.

"…Get help…" I hear Nathan's deep voice whisper. I silently curse the noisy cars and people just across the street.

"…Fine, as long as they don't figure it out…".

"…won't know anything".

"…But they both saw…"

This time Nathan's voice is perfectly clear, as if he knows I'm back here and wants me to hear every word. "By the time they even start to suspect anything we'll be rid of them. Then we can take care of Dane ourselves…".

The smart thing to do would be to stay and hear the rest of the conversation; to make sure I'm not taking everything out of context. But hearing this every one of my muscles tense, and I start to cautiously slide myself away from them. Am I right? Are they really hiding something; and is it anything to do with the recent disappearances? Sure, by 'Take care of Dane' they could have meant to find him…but what do them mean 'Get rid of them'? Is 'them' us? I don't see who else it could be…and if that's the case I'm almost certain it means they're going to try and kill Mal and I.

* * *

I badly want to tell Mal about what I heard, but I can't. By the time I made it back to him I barely had a chance to catch my breath before Nathan and Melanie were back; and soon after we all piled in Mal's car to get back to Golden Gate Park. I keep trying to find a way to give him the message, maybe communicate it to him with my eyes; but he's too focused on driving. My only hope is for us to pair up and go in separate groups, Mal with Nathan and myself with Melanie; so the two won't be able to give each other any signals. Melanie seems like she would be the one to talk first; and if I can make her think that I trust her she might let something slip. That way, should she let anything slip, I can easily take her out and go after Mal and Nathan.

I'm still finalizing my plan when Mal parks, and all four of us climbed out of the car.

"We should split up, that way we can cover more ground" I suggest as we make our way over to the yellow tape. Nathan edges closer to Melanie, so then I add "How about me and Melanie, Nathan and Mal? After all, Mal and I know the area better, we don't want you two getting lost". Beside me Mal opens his mouth to protest, perhaps state in no way does he know the woods, but I give him a sharp look to silence him. His eyes bore into me, asking a thousand questions at once.

"Fine with me" Melanie says surprisingly fast. Nathan looks like he wants to protest; but Melanie shoots him a glance much like the one I just gave Mal. They stare at each other for a moment; until Melanie breaks the silence and walks closer to me. "Guess we'll go right then" she says, nodding to the trees.

Without another word we separate and head in, but before the trees become too thick I get one last look at Mal. I silently wish him safety with my eyes; but he doesn't even notice.

At first I can hear Nathan and Mal's footsteps; but after a few minutes the trees seem to swallow them up, leaving no sound except for me and Melanie's footsteps.

"I'm sorry if Nate seems like a jerk" Melanie says very suddenly. "He's really a nice guy; he's just been having a rough few years. He could lose his job".

"Oh yeah?" I say, mainly to keep her taking "What did he do?".

"It's the same thing that brought him here" Melanie answers "About three years ago he was sent out to somewhere in New Mexico. He was tracking down this kid who killed three of his classmates. When they finally tracked him down he was armed; but Nate refused to shoot him. The kid was only thirteen".

"So he was sent here" I say. Although Melanie's in front of me and all I see is the back of her head; she nods.

"The only thing we had going on in Brisbane was a string of robberies; but they sent him out here as a kind of punishment". I can't help the slight smile that comes as I think of the day I met Mal. The way he said I was here on 'Crap Detail'. "Anyways, since then this kid killed eight little girls. They want to take Nate's badge away".

"That's terrible" I comment, really having nothing else to say but refusing to let the conversation die.

"I know; and now with all this business with Frank and Dane…it's just too hard on him. I love him to death, but…".

I stop in my tracks. "What did you just say?". Did I hear her correctly? Partners don't say that. Partner don't date, they don't fall in love with each other; and they don't say they love each other. I learned that the hard way.

Melanie turns to me, and for the first time I can see a small engagement ring on her finger. "Why does everyone react that way?" she asks, her voice rising. Seeing my questioning look, she adds "Yes, I'm engaged to Nathan. But I want to know why everyone thinks there's something wrong with that!". Without another word she turns on heel, walking a little faster than before. I have her right where I want her; she's properly worked up now. All I need to do is to keep her talking about Nathan. Still, a question presses at the back of my mind, and I don't see the harm in asking.

"How'd you…you know…make it work? You're partners, aren't things…complicated?".

"What do you mean? I love Nate, and he loves me back. There's nothing complicated about it". She pauses for a second. "Oh…don't tell me…" she whips around, a triumphant smile on her face. "You're in love with that Mal guy…aren't you?".

"No, of course not" I say quickly. "Mal's my best friend and my partner; nothing more".

"Sure, whatever you say" she says sarcastically, forcibly reminding me of Mal.

"I mean it!" I argue "I'm already engaged to someone else!".

"Shut up!" Melanie hisses suddenly, and at first I think she's joking. She freezes. "Did you hear that?" she whispers. I shake my head. "Wait here". I want to protest and follow her, but I can't risk it. There's still a chance that she's done nothing wrong and she genuinely hears something.

Like a ghost, she treads over the leafy floor without making a sound. I see her silently draw her gun, turning to the left into a thicket of trees and bushes. She's fairly far away at this point, but I still silently draw my gun also. For a second, she turns to me, pressing one finger to her lips. Then she walks right into the trees, disappearing in the foliage.

"Melanie?" I call quietly, but in a voice that carries enough that she would hear. No response. Slowly, I make my way down to the place where she disappeared. Some bushes have been trampled and smashed to the ground, but other than that there's nothing else there.

"Melanie?" I call again. No response. I creep silently into the trees, seeing no sign of her.

Then it hits me. Melanie must have ditched me; she's going after Mal and Nathan. With both of them working together; they'd be more than a match for Mal.

Without even giving it a second thought, I find myself crashing through the trees, desperate to find them before it's too late.

* * *

**Thanks for reading; please review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much to _mozzi-girl _and _BreezyFan _for the reviews!**

* * *

**Natara Williams**

The thought that Melanie may be innocent and was just taken before my very eyes crosses my mind, and before I risk her life and make an idiot of myself I quickly search for her. I call her name; but there's no response. No sign that Melanie was even here. After a few minutes of looking I know I'm just wasting time; and I sprint full-on through the trees.

I almost trip several times as I crash through the thick foliage, but I don't stop running. Maybe I should have looked better for Melanie; but there's no going back now. No, there was nothing I could have done. Even if she was taken I was too late by the time I let her go ahead alone, because whoever took her was so fast she didn't even have time to scream. I keep running in the same direction that she disappeared to; and I still don't see anything. My first theory has to be true. Mal doesn't know the woods; maybe Nathan's already picked up on that and is leading him as far away as he can now. Maybe that was the plan; Melanie ditching me to help her beloved Nathan to take down Mal first.

Something catches my leg, almost making me fall flat on my face, but I keep going. Nearby I can hear someone else crashing through the trees, and at first I think it's Melanie, until I hear a familiar voice call my name.

"Natara?".

I stop dead in my tracks; nearly running right into a nearby tree.

"Mal?".

I whip around and, sure enough, Mal and Nathan stand right behind me. "What's wrong?" Nathan asks, and for the first time his voice isn't filled with anger; but rather concern. "Where's Melanie?".

"Isn't she—?" I start to ask; but I'm panting so hard I find myself bending over as I try and catch my breath. How far have I ran? Mal grabs my arm, clearly concerned I'm about to keel over, but I shake him off. I look up to Nathan; about to accuse him and demand an explanation, but then I see his face. He looks genuinely worried; and not the way people are when they're being interrogated. It's the kind of worry you see in parents of abducted children; the kind of expression you see on a victim. "I don't know" I manage to choke out, my breathing slowly returning to normal. "She just…disappeared".

"No…" he says, taking a step back. Mal grabs his arm, obviously afraid he might he might bolt into the woods.

"I'm sure she can take care of herself" Mal says calmly "She's not like the others, even if she was taken, she at least has a little bit of an idea of what she's facing".

Nathan takes another step back, shoving Mal away from him. Nathan's mouth opens and closes once or twice in pure horror; like he wants to say something but he doesn't know how. "You don't understand…" he says, his voice shaking "Melanie has epilepsy".

* * *

I wait with Nathan in one of the interrogation rooms; watching him pace. We aren't in here because I'm interrogation him, but more so because it's the quietest place for us to be right now. After a moment Mal walks in, just finishing up talking on his phone.

"There's a search party out looking for Melanie right now" he says, talking more to Nathan than me "And there's a patrol set up around the park. If someone took Melanie; there's no way they're getting out".

Not even looking at either of us, Nathan sits down at the table, his head in his hands. I feel horrible; I should have done something. Maybe if I would have looked harder, if I hadn't been so firm in my beliefs, we wouldn't be in this mess. Still, the only way to make amends is to find Melanie alive.

"What I want to know" Mal says before I can even speak "Is how Melanie was even allowed to be out in the field. What if she had a seizure and ended up getting herself killed?".

Nathan shakes his head, still not looking at us. "It's not like that. Mel hasn't had a seizure in over two years…at least; not until Frank was taken. She takes medication for it, and most of the time her seizures are triggered by inadequate sleep. She hasn't been sleeping well since Frank disappeared; that's why we left so suddenly yesterday. She can feel them coming; and by now I know her well enough to know the signs".

"Like what?" I ask.

"She usually pats her arm or something; gets all jerky" he answers. "She doesn't like people knowing she has it; they treat her differently. Yesterday I was trying to convince her to go to a hospital; she had a really bad one. A Grand-Mal seizure. She lost consciousness for a few minutes. It's just not like her…she was getting so much better".

So that's what I had overheard yesterday. Nathan wanted to make sure Melanie was okay; and she just wanted this case to be over so Mal and I didn't find out.

"Did Melaine have any enimies?" I ask "Anyone who would want to hurt her? Maybe an ex-boyfriend or a particuarly outspoken family member of someone she arrested?".

"It's hard to have this job and not have any enemies" he answers.

I rifle through the various files that are strewn across the table, eventually coming across Melanie's. I almost don't want to look; I feel like I'm intruding on something private. But it could be the only way to save her. After only a few minutes of skimming over everything; I find what I need.

"Melanie was married?" I ask, seeing it marked down; but no sign of what became of her spouse.

"Once, a long time ago".

"Divorced?"

"Widowed" Nathan answered "Her husband died shortly after they were married. He was a Navy-Seal; just like Frank. They were in the same unit, but he never made it home".

I nod, replacing the file on the desk. I don't think I can read it any more. I can see it now; poor little Melanie broken after her husbands death. So sure that she can find love again; almost desperate to. Maybe her husband even told her to move on if anything should happen to him. And now she's lost the only living piece he left behind.

"So Frank Coleridge meant a lot to her then?" I ask.

"They were best friends. Richard, Melanie's husband, made a pact with Frank just before he died. That if anything happened to either of them; they would look after each other's families. Frank was like a brother to her".

Without looking up at Nathan; I grab the file regarding Frank Coleridge. The one Melanie kept hidden. "It says here the cause of death was strangulation" I read off to Mal. "Found by an unmarked grave of a John Doe who was found about ten years ago. Very few defensive wounds, evidence of malnutrition, killed shortly before being placed…and several dog bites on his arms". I look up at Nathan. "Didn't you think this was worth mentioning?".

"Not really; Frank had dogs. They were healed and well-dressed; so we figured that one of his own dogs attacked him before be was taken. They were too well-cleaned and healed to be able to tell if it was one of his dogs; so I didn't pay too much attention to it".

"What about Dane Sunderland?" Mal asks "Was Melanie close to him?".

"Not really; kid just ended up hanging around her a lot. He was pretty young; and I think he looked up to her".

"It looks like our killer's targeting people who Melanie was—" Nathan makes a small sound, and I quickly correct myself "—Is close to. While the others seemed planned, Melanie was taken on impulse. They didn't even wait until I was out of the way when they took her".

"If that's true, then that means—".

"You don't even have to say it" Nathan interrupts. For the first time since we've been in here he looks up. His eyes are red. "I know I'm next".

"No, you're not" I say "You won't be; because we're going to find Melanie before anything happens to her".

"And how do you plan to do that?" Nathan challenges; his voice shaking slightly. It doesn't surprise me how upset he is; his fiancé is out there. He's acting just like I was when Neha was taken. Once again I push this thought away; this whole case has just been one big walk down memory lane.

"I'm going to offer myself as bait" I say eventually.

My words are like a grenade; sending protests from both men flying across the room. "You don't have to do this!" Mal says, his voice standing out more than Nathan's.

"Yes, I do. If I wasn't so careless; Melanie wouldn't have been taken". I don't look Mal in the eyes as I say "Whoever took her must have seen me with her; they know that I know her somehow. Whoever's doing this is smart; they have to be. It's unlikely the search party or patrols we set up will do much; this killer knows what they're doing at this point. I'll walk around the woods where Frank Coleridge was supposedly taken. You and Nathan keep an eye on me; look for anything suspicious".

"Nat—"

"If we don't find Melanie soon" I interrupt "Then her medication will wear off and she might start having seizures. We don't know if this killer can or will help her if this happens; and without the proper care she could die".

Nathan stands up, puts a hand on my shoulder and says "Thank you". I don't look at him, and a few moments later I hear the door open and close. Perhaps he's gone to call Melanie's disappearance into his precinct.

"You don't have to do this" Mal says. I look up; which is a big mistake. His eyes at wide, his face set. "None of this is your fault; you said yourself she didn't even have time to scream".

I want to look away, but I can't. All I can think about is how grief-stricken Nathan is about losing his fiancé; and she might not even be dead yet. As much as I want to say that I would; I just don't think I would be like that for Oscar. Yes, I would be horrified if anything bad happened to him. And I would do anything to bring him back to safty. But I can't imagine myself being devastated if he died; so broken that I'll never be able to put myself back together. Nathan would be like that about Melanie…so shouldn't I feel that way about Oscar? The only person I can think of that might cause me to fall apart like Nathan should they die is Mal; but there's a good reason for it. Mal's my best friend; and we've saved each others necks countless times. He knows me better than I know myself; and I know that because everything he said at that couples retreat was completly true. Would Oscar be able to say those things, does he know any of that?

"I'll be fine, Mal" I answer eventually, ignoring every thought that runs through my head. Now's not the time to be thinking of these things. Besides; I shouldn't even be comparing Mal to Oscar in the first place. "This is just something I need to do".

And with that, I brush right last him, leaving him alone in the file-filled interrogation room.

* * *

Evening's already fallen by the time I make my way out to the woods; Mal and Nathan in my wake. I walk slowly through the trees; and after I've been going for a while I don't hear Nathan or Mal's footsteps anymore. Not that it's a bad thing; they can't follow too closely behind. Right now they should be milling around the woods; hopefully not too close by. They can't see me, but should I scream, they would surely hear me.

I nearly slip as I make my way down a rocky hill, but manage to save myself just in time; earning me a large cut across the palm of my hand. Blood seeps through my fingers, sending a wave of pain up my arm.

"Dammit…" I whisper, trying to get a better look at the damage. After seeing it's not too deep I continue, ignoring my throbbing, wet hand.

As darkness begins to fall I start thinking about heading back; but don't know if I should call out to Mal and Nathan first so they know to head back too. Maybe I shouldn't, I could still see something as I walk back; and yelling for Mal and Nate could scare anyone nearby away.

Deciding to silently head back, I make my way back to the rocky slope. I'm just about to climb up the first rock when I hear a noise, like someone stepping on a twig.

"Mal?" I call "Nathan?". No answer. It's probably just a rabbit; since Mal and Nathan are supposed to stay far enough away that I would have to shout for them to hear me. Ignoring it, I pull myself up over the rock.

That's when I feel something heavy push at my back, sending me crashing to the ground. I try and scream, but as I hit the rocky surface the breath's knocked right out of me. I can feel short claws on my back, heavy paws instead of feet. In one fluid motion I shoved whatever's on top of me off, scrambling up the rock before it can so much as touch me again. My lungs burn, and in my panic I can't figure out which way to run. Behind me is danger; but I won't be able to climb the rocks in time to get away. But my brain is too concerned with escape; and I find myself desperately clamoring up the rocks. For a moment I think I'm about to escape, but then I'm yanked down by my left leg, something sharp piercing the skin. Once again I try and yell, but it's lost as I hit the ground again. Before I can get up again I can feel something ram into me; and it feels like I've been hit by a train. As I try and get up one more time, I can feel teeth sink into my arm; and the force flips me over onto my back.

In the dim light I can see a massive dog; a German Shepard. It's paws dig into my shoulder, pinning me down. It's jaw opens, a growl forming in it's throat. I squirm in fear, lashing out with my feet and hands; twisting my body in a desperate attempt to escape. But the dog, obviously very well trained by someone, lunges for my neck. I manage to jerk my body out of the way, and instead it's teeth sink into my upper arm as I block with my shoulder. My skin feels like it's on fire, needles of pain gripping my arm. Already my body's giving up, all the fight sucked out of it. I wouldn't be able to call out if I tried.

That's when I hear a noise; like someone calling a name I can't quite hear. At first I think it's Mal or Nathan; come to my rescue. Then the dog calmly backs off of me; as if commanded to. A figure emerges out of the trees, comes over and crouches next to me; as if concerned.

"You shouldn't have fought. You're just like the first one". I can't see the face, since it's covered by a hood, but the voice is undeniably female. In panic, I try and grab my gun from my holster, but I'm since rammed against a rock it's pinned under me.

That's when I see the large stone in her hand. Before I can even try and escape again she raises it above her head; and after a quick, sharp pain in my temple everything goes dark.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much to mozzi-girl, poemfromtheheart, BreezyFan and MusicalMajesty for the reviews!**

* * *

**Natara Williams**

For a moment, when I first open my eyes, I think that I've gone blind. The darkness around me is so thick, it seems to lie on top of me like a heavy blanket. Not only that; but it seem's I've gone deaf as well. There's a thick silence surrounding me; making sound nothing more than a memory.

My head throbs, and I reach blindly up to my temple, expecting to feel the bump from when the rock hit me. I'm surprised to feel not skin; but the cloth of some kind of gauzy material. Confused, I feel up and down my own arms and legs; expecting the rough feel of bite marks. But once again, there's nothing more than smooth well-applied gauze. Even my hand is bandaged. Good, whoever took me must at least have the slightest amount of medical knowledge. Maybe Melanie will make it out of this after all.

That is, assuming it wasn't her who took me.

It would make sense after all. She disappeared so quickly. If she hid in the bushes; I could have walked right past her. She's no idiot; she would know I would feel obligated to look for her. After that all she had to do was get me. With her being so small, I could easily overpower her, and she needed reinforcements. Nathan could have done it; if he was even helping her. No, he couldn't have. I saw the look in his eyes, his face; he wasn't lying. And if he was…that means I left Mal alone with him. Right now that's just too much to bare.

Assuming Nathan wasn't in on this, she could have easily used one of the dogs Nathan said Frank owned. If she and him were close, some of the dogs would probably listen to her as if she were their owner. Since Frank was a police officer; it would make sense that they were trained to fight so well. The only question is…why? Why would Melanie do such a thing? Did she have a grudge against Frank? Maybe she was angry at him because her husband didn't make it home. Maybe she blamed him. And the other one, Dane, he could just have been killed for the thrill. Melanie, just like most serial killers, could have just been chasing the first thrill. That first life-extinguishing moment. And what better way to get it than killing someone who would put up a good fight; someone trained to capture people like her?

Still, I can't think about that now. I need to figure out a way to escape. That is, assuming no one did anything to me while I was asleep, and now I truly am blind and deaf.

I snap my fingers close to my ear, and the sound is sharp and clear. That settles that; I can still hear. Next I wave my hand only inches from my face. I see nothing; but I can't assume that I have gone blind. I don't feel any pain around my eyes, aside from where I was hit, so it's possible it's just really dark in here. Blindly, I stretch one hand in front of myself, crawling around to figure out the features of the room. Several times I end up ramming my hand into a support beam, or something catches the side of my shirt, but eventually I reach wall. I pull myself up and keep my hands in front of me, reaching out like a blind person; which I guess isn't too far from the truth. After a few minutes of cautious pacing I find a door, but when I open it I find it's so small I can reach the opposite wall from the doorway. From what I can tell, it's a small bathroom. A sink is in one corner, a toilet in the other. The water doesn't seem to be working though; because the sink doesn't seem to work as I blindly feel for the handles and twist. I leave, feeling my way around again. I can't find any evidence of an exit; but I know there's one somewhere. And somehow I'll have to find it.

Knowing that if I'm not going to get out of this without my mind sharp and my body rested; I feel around until I find one of the metal support beams. From what I can tell, I think I'm in some storm shelter of some sort. If I were in a basement; I would probably hear activities upstairs. I highly doubt whoever took me is far from here; leaving me in some abandoned house would be too risky. I prop myself up against the wall, ready for anything that comes.

I feel something crawling up my arm and frantically go to brush it away; but my hand touches nothing but my arm. I'm not sure if there are bugs and rats in here, but that's the least of my problems right now. With two of my senses devoid of any input; they'll surely start to make things up. That's why prisons have used solitary confinement for thousands of years; you don't need knives or weapons to torture people. Rooms like these are their own kind of torture; they suck every bit of strength from people. It's not designed to take a life; but to break someone's spirit. That's why some people end up going mad in places like these. The mind is an amazing coping mechanism; but sometimes it goes overboard. In places like these time becomes meaningless, and reality doesn't have any meaning anymore. And when reality has no meaning, you go insane. How can anyone act normally, when nothing normal is left?

Soon that'll be me. That's what worries me more than the insects and the rats. What just happened now could be the first sign that I'm losing it. It could have been my first hallucination; and if I stay here much longer it certainly won't be the last. How long have I been here? An hour? A day? I never realized how steep of a slope madness really is. Or how easy it is to fall apart like this.

I pull my knees closer to me, telling myself it's useless to be afraid. I'm not that little girl who used to sleep with a night-light anymore. But still, I don't think anyone ever stops being afraid of the dark. People don't really grow out of it, we just tell ourselves that there's nothing in it that can harm us. Then we crawl into our warm beds and go to sleep.

But I don't have that anymore. This darkness is new to me, so thick I can't even see my hand in front of my face. I don't know what sinister purposes this darkness has. But there's no use dwelling on it. I close my eyes, even though it's so dark it hardly makes a difference, and fall asleep almost immediately.

* * *

**Mal Fallon**

Two days. That's how long Melanie and Natara have been missing. Every TV screen, every newspaper; has their faces plastered on them. Does it help? No. Are we getting any closer? Not one bit.

"I still don't understand" I say after several hours of shifting through files, looking for a clue that I know I won't find here. "How could anyone let Melanie become a police officer? What if she had a seizure during a shoot out?".

Nathan shakes his head. He hasn't been taking Melanie's abduction well. There are bags under his eyes and he looks like he's sunken into himself; every muscle he had before disintegrating. "I told you already; Mel just knew the right people. There's no law against people with epilepsy becoming police officers; and Mel's condition was well under control. Besides, say what you will about her, but she's damn smart. She's a good cop, always gets the job done". He pauses for a second, yawning and streching his massive arms. "What about Agent Williams?".

"What do you mean?".

"Her fiancé know she's missing?".

I stop what I'm doing, turing to him. "How do you know about that?".

"I'm a profiler, it's my job" he shrugs "Can't make it much more obvious with that big ring on her finger". He turns back to his work, but I keep watching him. "So what's he up to? Contact you at all?".

"No".

"Think he knows she's missing?".

"It'd be hard not to, her name's on every newspaper now".

I start to go back to my work, the tedious job of looking over every file for the umpteenth time, but I notice Nathan's staring at me. "What?". I snap.

"It's just…the way to talk about her…".

"What about it?".

He shakes his head "Nothing. Just forget I said anything". He falls silent, but doesn't stop staring. "It's just Agent Williams…you don't really like who she's marrying…do you?".

I don't answer right away. "It's just—he's hurt her before. I'm just looking out for her. Besides, he's not even here; he's not even trying to look for her. But I am; and I would be even if it wasn't my job".

"I see. I can tell she has some trust issues. And so do you. It seems both of you, from the moment I arrived, had an immediate distrust of both of us. It was something so subtle I doubt either of you even noticed it. Is Agent Williams dating a fellow law-enforcer that you dislike? Or perhaps a co-worker once betrayed you? Helped a criminal perhaps?".

I shake my head, for the first time since the case was closed remembering Eric. "You so saw all that on the news. About the Maskmaker".

"Did not. Like I said, I'm a profiler, it's my job".

I turn back to the file, blindly flipping though the pages. "Well, I prefer if you keep all that psychology crap to yourself. You sound exactly like Nat—". I stop in mid sentence as I come across a photo. It's of a group of people. I look on the back, where the date is written in faded letters. It's over ten years old. There's no mistaking that red hair; in the front is Melanie, a man who I presume is was her husband with his arms around her waist. A man who with dark hair resembling Frank Coleridge stands next to her, smiling. But it's who's on the left of Frank who catches my eye. A glasses-wearing man is next to him, his arm around a pretty blonde woman. The man isn't quite looking at the camera, but rather at the blonde woman. Even from here I can see the love in his gaze; and when I look closer I can see that the blonde is very pregnant.

"Who's that?" I ask. I can't shake the feeling that there's something off about them. If they were friends with Melanie; why weren't they mentioned? They could be targets too. After all, I can tell the man is a cop. I can see the badge pinned to his shirt from here.

Nathan leans over and studies the picture for a moment. "I think he used to be Mel's partner" he says "Can't remember his name. Ended up going missing I think; never found his body".

Even though I know it's completely irrelevant, I still separate the photo. It's worth looking into; and it could be the only lead we have.

* * *

**Natara Williams**

There's that same sensation that I've gone blind as I open my eyes again; and it takes me a moment to realize where I am. The darkness in the room hasn't improved; not that I thought it would. No light can get in here, it doesn't matter if it's day or night. In the night I must have slumped to the ground; I can feel the uneven concrete under my body. I just lay for a while; not really seeing a good reason to get up.

After what seems like hours I once again pick myself up, and as I do something catches my eye. A person. Mal.

I close my eyes, but the image doesn't disappear. Mal, leaning against a wall that I can't even see. Lit up like there's a spotlight on him. I open my eyes again and look. He's smiling, shaking his head at me.

_Would you look at yourself? I thought you'd be close to finding a way out of here already._

That's it. I've completly lost my mind. I know it. Still, I don't want Mal to stop taking; it's comforting. And there's nothing wrong with wanting to die happy…right? "I can't even see" I reply. My voice cracks, barely audible. But still, it's my voice. It feels like it's been so long since I've heard it, heard any voice.

_Come on, you're the smart one. Think of something._

"I can't" my voice is a little stronger this time. "I can't see anything".

Mal shakes his head again. _Just stay alive, alright? I'm going to find you. I promise. I'm coming for you, Nat._

Nat. Is that my name? It's been a while since I've heard it…and if he's calling me that it must be.

_That's right, you're Natara_ Mal says as if he can read my mind _You're Natara Williams, don't forget that, alright? Just remember your name, and you'll be okay. I'm coming, I promise. Just try not to go too mad by the time I get here_.

"Don't leave" I say, but already it seems like he's fading away. I can feel a lump forming in my throat, and I have to force myself not to let it dissolve into tears.

_Come on, Nat. Don't let me see you cry. You never cry. You're strong; which is why you can make it out of this. You can beat this room. Just keep yourself busy. Find things to do. Keep your mind going. Think of all the things you'll do as soon as you're out of here, okay?_

"Okay" I manage to choke out.

_You can do this_ Mal says. When I blink he's gone, and once again I'm alone in the darkness. That is, until my vision explodes, light viciously attacking my eyes. I cover my face, trying to block it out. I force myself to look up, and that's when I see it.

A small door, no bigger than the palm of my hand, has opened up near the ceiling. Although the light is blinding, I can see a small hand sticking out of it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I didn't get a chance to update yesterday! Review Replies: **

**MusicalMajesty: Thanks a lot! Yeah, writers block is terrible; good luck with it!**

**mozzi-girl: Thanks a lot! And yeah, it was! Not so much fear of the dark; but more so fear of being alone.**

**BreezyFan: Thanks so much!**

**The Sarcastic Polar Bear: Thanks so much!**

* * *

**Natara Williams**

The moment I see that hand, the moment I realize light and color still exists, I don't hesitate. Without looking where I'm going I sprint over to the other side of the room, grabbing the tiny pale wrist that sticks out from the door. I hear someone cry out; an unearthly sound that doesn't even sound human. But I don't let go; this is my only connection to the outside world. The only proof that I still exist. I don't even care if this is the person who took me, all I care is that there's another living person near me.

After the initial shock is over I peer through the small door. It looks like it was once an air vent; but the vent part was replaced with a metal door. When I feel the sides it's smooth; clearly only able to be opened from the outside.

The fresh air is so intoxicating; and I gulp it up like a cold drink. I hadn't realized how hot and stuffy it is in here. Although I can still hear muffled crying I pull harder on the persons arm; wanting to see another persons face so badly. When I do I see a girl; eleven at the most. Although it's nighttime I can see the girls thin blonde hair; and the moonlight reflects on the tears streaming down her face. Why is she here?

"Please, you need to get out of here" I tell her frantically; although in truth I don't want her to leave me. "You need to go back to your parents, okay? Get somewhere safe".

The girl doesn't move; her expression doesn't even change. In fact, her eyes are dusty-looking, glazed-over even. Is she blind?

"Sweetie, can you see me?" I ask frantically. She doesn't respond. "Can you see me? Did you get lost?".

This time, instead of saying something back, she reaches down and touches my face. She feels around until her hand is on my cheek, then doesn't move. What is she doing?

"Listen, you need to get out of here, okay? I'm with the police. We're the good guys, okay?".

She lets go for a second and points to her hand, and then me. Back to her hand, then me. It seems like she wants my hand…but why? I don't see any harm in it, so still using one hand to keep the door propped open, I stick the other one out. Slowly, she takes one small finger and traces letters onto my palm.

R—U—O—K

It takes me a minute to figure out what she's saying; but after a moment it clicks.

"Yes, I'm fine" I answer. Now I get it, not only is the girl blind, but it appears that she is deaf as well. Spelling on my hand is how she communicates; and she uses the way my mouth moves to tell what I'm saying. That would explain the room; maybe whoever is doing this has some connection to this girl. I don't see how Melanie could; her file said she never had any children and that she was an only child. Still, I refuse to drop this suspicion.

"Listen to me–" I say "–You need to—".

I stop when I notice that she's tracing on my hand again.

L-A-U-R-A

Laura. That must be her name. "Listen, Laura–" I start again "You need to get yourself away from here. There's a bad person, okay? A very bad person. I need you to go home".

T-H-I-S she traces, then pauses. I-S-M-Y-H-O-M-E

"Who else lives here, Laura?" I ask "Who else is here?".

M-O-M

"Okay, who else?".

A-M-A-N

"Do you know who the man is?".

N-O

"Is there anyone else?" I ask, surprised at how well she can keep up.

G-I-R-L

"Is she still here?" I ask.

S-H-E-S-I-C-K

"She's sick?" I ask. It has to be Melanie.

W-O-N-T she stops for a moment W-A-K-E-U-P

"Who is your mommy, sweetie?" I ask. She doesn't respond. "Laura, who is your mom?". No response. I know she can tell I'm taking to her, and I have a feeling she just doesn't want to answer. "Laura; can you tell me where the door is?".

V-I-S-I-T-O-R-S

"What?" I say "Who is it? Who's coming, Laura?".

I don't know how she even knows someone's coming, but I don't question it. Without even taking a moment to feel around, Laura reaches over and grabs something on the ground next to her and hands it to me. I can't see very well, but I can feel the cold liquid splash as it touches my hand. It's a cup of water. I take it from her and she nods for me to back up, and before I can even make an unheard protest she shuts the door again; plunging me into complete darkness. It takes a moment for my body to accept the fact that it's back in the darkness once more; and after a few seconds of frozen shock I realize what the girl has given me. Water. I haven't really given much thought to it; but now that water is right in front of me I realize how thirty I am. Without even thinking I gulp down half the cup; knowing it's had to be at least a day since I was taken…right? I mean, I was taken late in the evening; and it's nighttime now. There's no way I've only been in here a few hours. And if I have…then by the time I get out of here my mind will be long gone.

* * *

**Mal Fallon**

Even though Nathan still persistently looks through every scrap of documentation we have, I can't sit still. It's been three days; and night is already coming. I can't bare to go home and try to make it through another sleepless night; knowing Natara has just spent another day in the clutches of a murderer. I can't do that again. Instead I pull out the photo again; the one Nathan said has Melanie's ex-partner in it. Something tells me that he's tied into all of this, him and the blonde woman.

"Nathan?". He acknowledges that he's heard me with a nod. "Are you sure you don't know anything else about this man?".

"If you're just going to keep bugging me about it, just use my computer to find what you need. I transferred a lot of the data from our precinct on there; I probably have something on him". She shoves his recently-used laptop to me, bringing up a list of documents as he does so. "Just type in Mel's name; it should be somewhere in her file".

I take the computer and start typing in Melanie's name, finding what I need almost immediately. It's the same file that sits before me in paper form, and I scan through until I find what I need.

"Former partner: Craig Nickels" I read out loud.

"Yeah, Craig, that's it. He went missing about ten years back. He was proclaimed dead; but his body was never found. His wife and Mel were close I think; there's a picture of them on her desk".

I click on the name and Craig's file pops up, depicting a stiff ID photo resembling the man in the picture. Everything Nathan said checks out; but still I scroll down until I find out more. That's when I see where Craig lived, and my jaw actually drops when I see it.

"Nathan…look at this".

Clearly uninterested, Nathan looks over my shoulder, but when he sees Craig's address his eyes nearly pop out of his head.

"But that's…" he stutters.

"That's right" I say, already getting to my feet. "Right in the center of the woods in Brisbane. Only a mile from where Frank was taken".

* * *

**Please review?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much to _mozzi-girl _and _MusicalMajesty _for reviewing!**

* * *

**Natara Williams**

I take the water that the girl game me and walk back over to the support beam where I sat before. I set it next to me, being sure not to spill it. I wish I could have one last look at the moon; one more chance to feel the cold wind on my face. But even if I did have that chance; I doubt I would ever be able to pull myself away from it.

I sit back, trying my hardest to listen for Laura's "visitors". I don't know how she knew they were coming, but I don't doubt her decision to flee. There's a good chance she's not even allowed to come here; and I don't think I could bear knowing I caused that little girl any pain if she were to be caught.

Still, her visit had been worth it. I can pretty much assume Melanie is innocent at this point; and now I just have to worry about of she's alive still. If she's anywhere like where I am; my guess is Laura isn't sure. If Melanie ended up passing out on the floor, there's a good chance Laura can't reach her.

I hear a creak somewhere, and I automatically tense. My heart is like a bird fighting to escape it's cage; my mind heightening my remaining senses. I start to stand up, both full of fear and hope that these are the visitors Laura was taking about.

There's the sound of scraping wood and metal; and I think I can hear voices. I'm not sure though, since this could all be another powerful hallucination. Then part of the wall disappears, and blinding light claws at my face. I throw my arms up, but in shock I somehow end up on the ground again. I keep still in fear; disbelieving that there's anything out there. The voices are louder now, but I can't even tell if they're familiar anymore. Each syllable is like a great deafening boom; too loud to be understood. But I don't care. Someone's here, even if they're here to kill me, at least I'm not alone anymore.

* * *

**Mal Fallon**

It doesn't take long for Nathan and I to find Craig's former address. We left without telling anyone; fearing backup might frighten Melanie and Natara's captor. It's dark, and without someone like Natara to lead the way though the woods it's a rather hard journey. But eventually we reach a clearing in the thick woods. In it is a small wooden house; but it's all the way at the other end of the clearing. Between us and the house is a small storm shelter set in the ground; and a small shed. I glance over to Nathan, but he's already gone, sprinting off through the night to the shed. I follow closely behind, nervously glancing behind me to make sure no one is around. He makes a beeline for the shed; and I have to wonder if he heard something that I didn't.

Before I can even make my way over there he's wrapping his fingers around a rusted padlock; trying to pry it off with his bear hands. I start to protest that he won't be able to; but a moment later he stumbles backwards, falling flat in his back with the piece of metal in his hand. The sudden reality that Natara could be dead suddenly hits me; and I don't even look at him as I draw my gun and slip inside.

There's a figure lying on the floor; so curled up upon themselves that I can't tell who it is. After a quick glance around the dark room, which is nearly pitch-black for the only source of light is from the open door, and holster my gun as I run the the figure. My hand rests on a bony shoulder, and I try and shake them awake. But all that happens is they roll over onto their back, and in the dim light I can see a nest of tangled red hair. Blood leaks out from between her lips, bubbling slightly as she breathes. I place my hand over her wrist; her pulse is faint. Like a baby bird.

I can hear Nathan's footsteps behind me, but before he can get any closer I call out "Call for an ambulance. Now".

But he doesn't; at least, not right away. He see's Melanie; and I step out of the way so he can get to her. He lifts her slightly, keeping her head propped up with one arm as he grabs his cell phone. "They won't be able to get here soon enough. There used to be a road here; but I didn't see it when we came in so it must have been overgrown. Find Natara; I'm getting her out of here. I'll call for backup along the way".

Before I can even think about disagreeing with this plan he scoops his fiancé into his arms like she's nothing more than a small child, disappearing into the darkness. It takes me a moment to register what just happened; but I come to my senses when I remember that Natara could be just as bad as Melanie. I pick myself off the ground; making my way over to the storm shelter and hoping that this is where she is. This one isn't locked, which is lucky, but rather latched from the outside. It takes me a minute to pull the rusty latch up, and the heavy wooden doors are equally as difficult to open. But when I do, I don't enter right away. What if Natara's already gone? I can't imagine that; I can't picture her being so still and silent.

After a few second that stretch to an eternity; I step down into darkness. In the pale moon light I can see a still form; one that's so engulfed in shadow I can't make out a face.

"Natara?" I call. The figure seems to be looking at me, but I really can't tell.

"Mal?" I hear Natara's voice say. She get to her feet, and despite everything my face splits into a smile. She's alive!

The next thing I know she runs over and hugs me; so tight it's like she'll never let go. I do the same thing back; wrapping my arms around her back. I can feel her shoulder blades, which rise and fall with each breath. They tremble slightly a few times, like she's cold, before going still. The bones there are pointy, almost like she's on the verge emaciation. For a moment she lets go and looks up at me, her eyes shiny and liquid-like. Then her face changed into one of complete panic; and I can feel my heart rise to my throat. The look she gives me is so full of worry; like all the goodness in the world is gone.

"There's a girl" she manges to stutter "a little girl. We need to find her, now".

"What are you talking about?"

"Laura. This little girl. Her mom…she…".

Her eyes drift past my shoulder; wide with fear. I follow her gaze to a point outside; right up the the house. I know what she's looking at.

One of the windows at the house is lit up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to _mozzi-girl _for reviewing! Sorry this is so short; but next chapter will be my last and it will have Maltara in it.**

* * *

** Natara Williams**

I brushed right past Mal, walking up the steps to outside, my legs shaking. Every cell in my body tells me to stop; to go home and give up. But I can't do that. I can't let Laura alone.

"Natara!" Mal calls out in a sharp whisper. He jogs silently across the grass to me, still speaking in a whisper even though we're fairly far away from the house. "I need to get you out of here, look at yourself".

I ignore him. I really don't want to see the state of myself, I'm afraid to. I'm scared that the storm shelter was like my coffin, and I was a body withering away inside. But I'm free now, and even though my brain tells me to do as he says my heart tells me not to.

"I'm not leaving that girl here" I state. As we get closer I can see a shape, something large and deformed near the top; sitting on a windowsill on the third floor. As I squint I can make out human shapes…two of them.

"No!" I run, leaving Mal behind. The door was left unlocked and I burst in, searching for the stairs. After a moment I find them, and bound up to the second floor, then the third. In the dim moonlit room I can see something lying on the floor; a large snoozing dog I believe. There's larger figure on the windowsill. She's facing me, a smaller crying figure on her lap. The window's open, and she leans back slightly as if she's about to let herself fall.

"Miss" I say quietly. I can hear Mal's footsteps behind me as he catches up. "Miss…I don't know what you're planning…but there's always another way".

She shakes her head, shifting the figure sitting on her lap. As she does I catch a glimpse of both faces. It's Laura, and a woman who must be her mother. "No…there's not". In the dim light, her eyes sharpen. "They forgot about him. They left him behind".

"Who, who did they leave behind?" I ask, taking a little step closer.

"Craig" she replies, her voice cracking. "They forgot about him. Mel and Frank. They replaced with…with that boy…Dane…". She makes a small sobbing sound, not unlike a wounded animal. "She…she said she understood her. Said she knew what it was like…to be different…". She looks down at Laura, who's crying more than ever. Her useless eyes are wide, her ears unhearing. But she must know what's going on. "She's a liar!" she cries "She has no idea! No idea what it's like to know your child will never hear your voice…only to find out she'll never see again in a matter of years…".

"She has Usher syndrome…doesn't she?" I ask.

The woman ignores me. "Well, now she knows! Now she knows what it's like! Her, her stupid little friends…even you!".

I take another little step forward, but she notices, and starts to lean out the little more. "This isn't about Laura" I say really quietly "This is about Melanie. So give me Laura…I promise I'll take care of her".

I reach forward. Laura's just an arms reach away. For a moment the woman seems to take in what I'm saying. Then she tilts her face down, engulfing her eyes in shadow. "Liar" she hisses. Then she lets go, falling back and out the window.

"No!" I almost scream as I reach out, my hand grabbing the front of Laura's shirt. She's yanked right out of her mother's grip, and I pull her close to me. Even though she's blind, I still hold her close, hiding her face as if to protect her from seeing her mother. I hear a single scream, and Laura grabs my arm as if she can hear it too. Then everything goes ominously silent. The girl begins to cry harder, and I know that she knows what happened. I try and calm her down, stroking the back of her soft blonde hair. I hear movement nearby, and I look over to see the sleeping dog, the same German Shepard that attacked me, siting patiently nearby. He begins to whine, his mouth slightly open, and I almost flinch when I see him. But a moment later Laura lets go of me, as if sensing the dog is nearby, and kneels down to hug the animal. I'm about to warn her to get back when I see the dog affectionally lick her cheek, as if to wipe away her tears.

* * *

**Also, I did make a tumblr page for Cause of Death! I made a "Which cause of death character are you quiz", and if enough people like it I will make a better one (since this one is short and only has 4 results). I also make computer-made fan-art and will post blogs about the game! Here's the link (take out the spaces)  
**

butihavepromisestokeep7 .tumblr . com

**Any follows would be greatly appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Review replies: **

**mozzi-girl: Thanks so much!**

**MusicalMajesty: Thanks a lot! You should, it's really fun! You can still view pages without joining; but it makes everything easier! **

* * *

**Natara Williams**

For the first time since I've been rescued, I step out of my apartment building and onto the streets. It's drizzling, but I hardly care. I actually enjoy it, for a reason I can't really explain.

It's been two days since Mal found me in that little storm shelter in Brisbane, but I haven't talked to him since. I haven't been to work, since I was given a few days off to get myself together, and Mal keeps trying to contact me. He calls, but I don't call him back. I turn off the lights if he knocks at my door, then wait until he leaves. I don't know why I'm avoiding him, but it's not like it's just him. I haven't been in contact with anyone. So far I've gotten calls from Kai, who's message I quickly deleted, Maria and Oscar. But, just like Mal's calls, I ignore them. I don't really have an explanation. The closest thing I have to one is that what I've been though, being somewhere so dark and quiet, changes a person. No one would understand if I told them, no one really can unless they've been there. And that's the reason why I'm going to see Melanie.

She called me, yesterday. Said she needed to talk to me. Saying that I'm glad she's alive, that I'm hearing from her, would be a lie. It sounds cruel to say it like that, but the fact is at this point I feel like I can never be glad again.

Luckily, the hospital Melanie's being treated at isn't too far of a walk. She was transferred to this one yesterday I think, since she still wanted to help with the case but needed to stay for a while for observation. It does't take me long to get there, and before I know it I'm walking up the stone steps and asking the woman at the front desk which room she's in.

I don't know what I was expecting, maybe a tired and defeated version of the woman I had seen less than a week earlier, but certainly not what I walk in on. She's lying on a bed, slightly propped up. Nathan sits next to her, and he says something quietly. She smiles; laughs. Certainly not anything I've been doing for the past two days.

"Hey" she says warmly as I enter. She smiles at me, and I manage to give her a weak one back. "Just wanted to see how you were doing…considering" she says.

"If we should be worrying about anyone, it's you" I say quietly. My voice cracks slightly from underuse.

"I'm fine, I'm really lucky actually. I wasn't awake for most of the time…but there shouldn't be any permanent damage".

"That's good" I manage to mutter. My voice is monotone; robotic even. A tone I recognize from all my years with the FBI; a voice that means my brain is still in survival mode, and has switched off everything but the essentials. This is how it's been for the past two days, I might as well still be in that little box of darkness and silence.

"I just waned to let you know that Laura's okay" Melanie continues. "She's been placed with her grandparents; they're good people. They'll take good care of her".

I nod. This should make me feel better, but it doesn't. Because I know the truth; the information that she's hiding. That the other missing guy, Dane, is dead. That his body was found in the woods yesterday. That we were only a few hours too late to save him; and that he died in agony.

"I also wanted to say that I'm sorry" Melanie continues.

"For what?".

"Dragging you and your partner into this. Making you go through…what you did" she looks away from me. What am I supposed to say? That it's okay that I nearly lost my mind? I could lie, but I can't seem to form the words to do that.

"Look–" I hear a deep voice say. I look up, it's Nathan. It's not surprising that I don't know his voice at all, considering I could probably count the number of times I've heard him speak on one hand. "–You probably think that no one get you, that no one really know's what you've been though, but you go find that partner of yours. He's been through hell and back looking for you. Just go find him, you'll see". I don't move for a second, and Nathan adds "Well? What are you waiting for?".

Without even giving either of them a second glance I turn on heel and leave, and behind me I can heard Melanie jokingly reprimand Nathan. By the time I make my way outside the rain has stopped, but the moisture still hanging in the air like a blanket. Yes, I will do what Nathan said. But now now. I have something I need to do first. I walk back down the stone steps, pulling my cell phone out. I hit three on my speed dial, holding it to my ear and silently hoping it goes to voicemail. I'm lucky, and after a few rings it does.

"Hey, Oscar" I start "We need to talk. Meet me at the main entrance at Golden Gate park as soon as you get this. Bye".

I hang up, sticking my phone back in my pocket; still not entirely sure what I'm about to do is the right thing. Because while my brain keeps telling me to stop where I am, my heart is egging me on. I make my way to the park, being sure not to set foot inside. There's a small bench just outside the entrance and I sit on it, waiting for what feels like forever. Not that I would really know, my perception of time is still a little off. Really, the only way I know how much time has passed is by looking at a clock. Even though I'm getting better, hours and minutes are still practically meaningless.

The sky is beging to clear up when I see Oscar, a rather concerned look on his face. As soon as I see him I flag him down, and he comes right over.

He's smiling as he sees me, but when he sees my face his smile begins to fade. "Is something wrong?". I don't say anything for a moment, since I still haven't properly built up the nerve to do what I'm about to do.

Rather than using words, which might fail me, I pull my engagement ring off my finger. I had taken it off for safe keeping before I went with Mal and Nathan into the woods for the last time, but I wish I hadn't. It would have given me something to think about.

I take Oscars hand and place it in his open palm, curling his finger around it. "What are you doing?" he asks quietly. But I know he know what I'm doing. He doesn't need to ask.

"I'm sorry" I say "I-I just can't do this".

"Did something happen?" he asks, his voice full of concern. It breaks my heart a little to hear him using this tone, but I know this is for the best. When I don't answer, he asks again. "Natara, did something happen?".

Yes, of course something happened. Something I can't explain to him. But what am I supposed to say? When I was alone, scared and in the dark; you weren't there? That while I didn't see him, I saw Mal? I can't say that, that isn't his fault. But I do think my mind was trying to tell me something. Something that I can't figure out by myself.

"I've just had a lot of time to think" I say quietly. There's a long pause. Nearby I can hear a little girl call for her mother; causing a shiver to run up my spine.

"I thought this is what you wanted".

"It is" I respond. In the corner of my eye, I watch the same little girl run into her mothers arms as she finds her. "I just don't know…if this is what I really need". I feel horrible. I know Oscar loves me, and it's all my fault that I can't love him back. Me and my stupid choices. "I'm sorry" is all I can say "I'm so sorry. I just think…".

I find that I can't finish that sentence. But I think Oscar gets it. "Then I guess this is goodbye".

I nod. He says something, I don't even know what, before he leaves. It's like the sounds around me have been muffled, words losing their meaning. It starts to rain again, and I make my way home.

* * *

I don't notify anyone of my return, but the next day I still find myself heading down to the station on my own. I leave early so I can walk, although it's storming so hard that I end up clutching an umbrella for dear life. By the time I get there my trainers are soaked, squeaking on the tile as I walk. Unfortunately this attracts people's attention, and Mal looks up and sees me before I even make it to his desk.

"'Morning" I say, possibly a little coldly.

He looks like he's about to say something, but suddenly a near deafening clap of thunder fills the room. A second later the lights flicker, then go out. The whole room falls silent, as if sound has been shut off also.

My breath catches in the throat, and by the time I finally remember how to breathe it comes out in short and uneven breaths. I can feel my whole body tremble, my mouth open on horror. Of course I know the lights will come back on in a moment, since the station has a backup generator, but I don't care. It's dark, I can barely see in front of me. No one speaks, and while most people would see this as peaceful, the silence terrifies me. Somehow the darkness suddenly becomes even more complete, and I can't even make out shadows anymore. Someone grabs my arm, just above the elbow, and shakes me gently. I don't know who it is, I can't see, but I don't care. I need to get out of here, I need to…

"Natara!".

I open my eyes. The power's already back on, sound already returning. I must have closed my eyes in fear, because I missed seeing the room around me return to normal. I try and calm myself down, breathing deeply for a second. Mal's hand is still wrapped tightly around my arm, and when I look over at him he speaks in a tone that's almost too serious for him.

"You're safe now. It's over".

I don't say anything back. All I can think is that, just like when my mind brought him to me in the darkness, I believe him. That as long as he's around, he'll never let me give up. And right now, that's what I really need.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! This is the last chapter; so please review?**


End file.
